Something Precious: Gold-King Version
by ElizabethGold
Summary: This is the story of Elizabeth, the crippled and infantile daughter of Rumplestiltskin who took the price of magic upon herself and saved her family. This is a story of tragedy and recovery, of acceptance and hope. It is the story of an unbroken bond between father and daughter. This re-release also introduces other fandoms into her story, courtesy of the Gold King Group.
1. Chapter 1-The Meeting of the Dark Ones

_"You don't throw a whole life away just because they're banged up a little."-Tom Smith, Trainer of Seabiscuit_

Chapter 1

The Meeting of the Dark Ones

The walls of Tartarus were a lot more common than one would expect. The deepest pit of Hades was now fit to meet the age of which the earth now held. It was like any other dungeon, but with differences that one would expect when entering the land of the dead. The glowing volcanic rock surrounded the prisoners, the hot stone serving as the building material for the bricks building the dungeon wall. The walls were paved with brimstone mixed with tar. The smell of sulfur wafted through the air as the foul environment encompassed the lowest criminals of the underworld. Through the smoke-strangled air an ancient language whispered and echoed. It spoke in a long lost language that no man or woman dead or alive remembered. It was the raw language of magic, speaking the raw language of the universe from which virtue and evil is built. The language could either goad the actions of man or push them away from such actions. In the middle of this particular dungeon sat a cracked black marble table, lit by a blue flame in the brazier at each corner of the room.

Perhaps even more terrifying were those who gathered around the table to meet. These had been the prisoners of this dark realm. They were known in life as the dark ones. They were the most feared sorcerers in the land. Like pit vipers, they could kill with a single strike. The men and women with glittering golden scales covering their bodies showed that same pension for greed. In life, every decision that they had ever made had been selfish. All magic is based on emotion, and theirs was born out of thoughts and emotions of darkness. Selfishness, greed, envy, pride, gluttony, adultery, cowardice, hatred, jealousy, bigotry, sadness, pain and fear only named a few fires which fueled their powers. They wore cloaks so dark that one could mistake them for shadows covering their glistening features. Around each of them was a heavy pile of golden chains. Every man, woman and child who dies receives a chain to bear as punishment for their misdeeds in life. Every act of kindness and goodness causes them to be free of a chain link. Every act of evil causes them to gain a chain link. A ponderous chain encircled and fettered each of these individuals, so many that their spirits could hardly move. Every one of their faces showed the same expression: one of regret.

There were two dozen of them that had lived these past four thousand years since the first dark one had walked the earth, yet only one of them was female. The first dark one appeared at the head of the table, a woman who had a sad and faraway look in her amber eyes. Zozo, the last dark one before the one who now lived was the first to speak up. "Nimue, why have you called us here? Aren't our afterlives hard enough without some tedious meeting? Speak, woman." And it should be noted that that one person was rather bitter, even more so than the others. Nimue, carrying the regal air of a queen, placed her hands on the table in a gesture of power and stood up among them once again. "I have called you here because we have a new dark one. Zozo has joined us in death, which means another dark one now lives." Boron, another of these dark creatures spoke up bravely. "Yet we have never had a meeting before this. Why have you called us here when in the past we just let them live out their lives? Why have you called us here…why now?" Under the questioning, she maintained that queenly way in which she carried herself. "I have called this gathering because Rumplestiltskin has been called to a very important mission for the rest of us. He alone is fit among us to carry out this task. From his loins shall spring the new light one."

With this admission, disagreeable sighs, glares of disbelief and restrained and doubtful laughter came from the rest. "Rubbish." One of the others said. "There has not been a light one since Merlin and he has been transformed into a tree. He didn't stand a chance. And of course you know all about that…" he said with somewhat of a teasing smirk. Nimue's eyes immediately began to burn with anger and a look of heartbreak began to cross her face. An animalistic growl issued from her throat in the way that all dark ones growled when they became exceptionally angry. "You speak of Merlin that again and these claws go in your throat. I will find a way to make it hurt." With this threat, the insubordinate one backed down and slunk to the end of the table where he once was. Zozo raised another point. "He does have a son, I know this to be true." Nimue simply shook her head. "No. It will not be Baelfire who will carry on my lover's legacy. The boy was spawned when Rumplestiltskin was human. Have you all forgotten the prophecy?" and what she had gotten back were blank stares.

She gave another growl as she paced back and forth like a human lion. "You didn't even read the book of the dark one, did you? Unlimited power and ultimate opulence just to read a book and you still couldn't do it!? And don't give me that look, Rookworm, when each of you took on this mantle you were given the ability to read! Must I do everything myself? Men…" she said with an annoyed sigh and waved her hand. A book appeared in her hands. "Rumplestiltskin, another one who hasn't even read it yet. He won't miss it for a moment." With a roll of her eyes she turned to one page in particular, an illuminated text with a celtic design of a horse with wings, and the only page in the book which had color. The vibrant colors and the gold text itself shone in the darkness, as if they entire page echoed the knowledge within its words.

 _One day, a second light one will return to walk the earth. This creature will pay the price of magic so that every dark one along with everyone who practices magic shall be not be automatically met with damnation at the end of their lives. This will come in the form of a child, for the innocence of children is the only light from which the magic of true love and light can emerge. The child will be the offspring of a human mother and a dark one father and the product of true love. Other children will come before her, but not one will meet this requirement. The sex shall be female to make amends for the actions of the first dark one. She will not be what you expect. She will meet many challenges and undergo much suffering within her life so that she will learn compassion for those who suffer. She will appear both in the form of a child and a horse. She will be the most powerful light magician to ever live and will bring light to those who dwell in darkness. She will feed the hungry, house the poor, and protect all children like herself. She will raise the dead. Horses will be sacred to her and animals will worship her. This child will come in an unexpected way. Therefore, do not judge by appearances, for a book cannot be judged by its cover._

"The problem is…" Nimue sighed some. "…this child will not be born for another three hundred years. Certain events must take place first before she can arrive in the world. And a certain mother must be chosen out of all. She must be Rumplestiltskin's true love, not just some woman that he beds. She herself will not be born for another two hundred and seventy-five years. In order for us to be freed from our chains and from this prison, we must guide him towards the right path. The seer that spoke with him fourteen years ago has already set things in motion, but now she is even more under my control. I plan to inspire her to take a prophecy to him that will lead him down the right path. Until then, we must keep hope. She will return to us, and she will come to save us. This meeting is now adjourned." And as soon as she said that, the spirits were gone, all to their separate cells in tartarus, Nimue being drawn back into her own. Her clawed hand lay over the one physical thing that she was allowed to bring with her into this realm. She closed her eyes and held the engagement ring gingerly within her claws. She remembered him…how he worked and slaved so hard to save up for that ring. She remembered how he had been transformed into a tree, how he had died. He was trying to stop her, trying to save her from herself. She had her own doubts. If Merlin could not save her…how could a child save all of them? But she would not lose hope. She would see him once again. _I'm coming, my love. Wait for me still._


	2. Chapter 2-The Seer's Warning

Chapter 2  
The Seer's Warning

 _"And she warned him to never to be deceived by appearances, for beauty is found from within."-The Enchantress, Beauty and the Beast_

There was a chill in the air of the enchanted forest. Fall was fast approaching, for the leaves were browning and bleaching and the fog had settled into the air. Fall was rainy season in the temperate climate of the wood. The danger of winter could be seen over the horizon. Though it be far away, the growing chill in the air alluded to the devastation of the winter winds. Yet even as the mist and the light veils of rain began to curtain over the land, life somehow found a way to make the best of the cool and rainy weather. The forest at all times of the year was usually an environment promoting all sorts of animal activity. However, the animals were nowhere to be found. There were no sounds of birds chirping, no rustling of the leaves by the deer and the wild horses who migrated from the great valley of the Cinmarron. There were no acorns dropped by the squirrels fluttering in the trees. The usual howling of the wolves had ceased. The only sound that could be heard was that of man. But not just any man and not even a human man, but the sounds of a humanoid creature that existed in the woods. He had come down from the highlands, creeping along in the forest like one of the more rare mountain lions of this region. The footfalls were soft like those of the native large feline but who actually owned those footsteps was far more dangerous.

He had the profile and the look of a man, but the male had certain features that made him look primitive in terms of species. His skin was the most obvious feature about him. It had scales like that of a reptile. Within these scales were golden flecks, and they shone like the precious metal whenever the surrounding light hit it. He had the hands of a man and his anatomy might have been human, but he had a set of claws instead of a set of fingernails. They were long and filed and shaped. Unlike the transparency of human nails his were greenish brown. His eyes too, seemed like that of a predator. They were amber like the eyes of a wolf. And the one time he yawned and showed his impressive teeth they too became predatory. The four canine teeth that all humans had at the front of their bite were longer, sharper and were filed like dog like fangs. He wore the normal attire of any wealthier man in the forest, knee high boots, tanned deer hide trousers and a cloak with a golden broach to cover his embroidered shirt. His face had certain mismatched emotions that he carried with him. The upturned nose and the self-satisfied smirk that he wore didn't quite match with the look of defeat, worry, fear and desperation in his eyes. This half mad half human made his way further into the woods.

Mist formed in his breath from the cool morning air as he stood among the newly fallen leaves. He scanned the scenery around him. The fire was still lit. A makeshift tent was still pitched in the bed of leaves. She was here. The imp looked around him in confusion, sniffing the air like a predator on the track of his prey. He could smell her but…he could not see her. Those beyond human senses of his could pick up on the smallest of clues, but if she could not be seen than she could not be seen. He faltered, looking around him like any man trying to find his way through a foreign place. But suddenly, his high sense of hearing picked up on the leaves rustling nearby. He remained perfectly still, anchored to his spot for fear of his own movement muffling the sounds of his prey. Then suddenly, she appeared. A red headed woman came boldly out of the trees, carrying her ragged scarf upon her arm like that of a Greek goddess carrying her veils. And like her hunter, she too was not entirely human. Everything about her seemed normal until one looked upon her face. There, where her eyes should have been was instead a long and ragged black scar, showing remnants of a bad stitching. Her eyes, too finite for mortal vision were placed upon her hands instead. Though she had knowledge of this beast coming for her, she spoke in a grave yet confident manner. "I've been expecting you."

At this, the imp turned, and just…smirked. He looked at her as if he was trying to decide just how to torture her while providing excellent entertainment for himself in the meantime. Oh…how he wished he had strangled her the minute he had met her! If not for her, his son would have been with him now(for in that moment, Rumplestiltskin was blaming everyone but himself for the loss of his dear Baelfire). There was an unmatched look of fury in his eyes, and it was taking great restraint on his part to not spring upon her and rip out her goddamned heart right there. He suppressed the anger that was boiling within him and tried his best to speak through his bared teeth. Before going any further, he swallowed and took a deep breath, trying to remind himself that he was a businessman and had to make whatever deal with this wench required to get back to his son.

"Then you know exactly why I came here." He spoke in a quick, high pitched, animated voice which was laced with a thick Scottish accent. "What I told you during the Ogre's war has finally come to pass." The tight and cold voice still responded.

"Well…in a manner of speaking…" he began by holding up his hand in an animated gesture, something that he had begun to do out of his own madness. He began to threateningly circle around her now, his amber eyes affixed on hers like the predator about to lunge at any moment. "I uh…hobbled myself on the battlefield, was brrrranded a coward…" and with this flourish he began to roll his R's as well, for his anger caused his natural accent to become even thicker. "…my wife ran away and left me! My son, was called to the front and oh…I became the dark one…" and he pitched that as the most minor of details in this conversations. Then…Bae left me. So yes!" his voice rose even higher now the angrier he became. "My actions on the battlefield left my son fatherless. But…" he began to bare his teeth once again as he stood right next to the seer, snarling into her ear. "It would have been nice to know the pesky details!"

In reaction, she still stood there. She had accepted her fate, but was standing her ground and taking her dignity with her to the bitter end. "Knowing would have not have changed anything. You still would have been powerless to escape your fate."

And it was that minor sentence which caused him to snap completely. There was only so much you could do to torment a desperate soul like this before he either went completely into darkness or turned into an empty husk. In this beast's case, he had become both. He showed no remorse as he turned around and pointed his hand at his throat like a loaded weapon. "Just. Like. You!" and as he said that with the flourish and amusement of a child playing with his toys, he channeled his magic through and used it to strangle her. "You know exactly why I came here…" he snarled in a deeper, much more threatening and dangerous tone of voice.

In a manner of speaking, the predator had his prey by the jugular. There was nothing she could do to escape his chokehold. But she fought against him still, squeaking out in a hoarse and strangled voice the answer to his question. "Y…you want t..to find y..your son…" She barely managed to get the sounds of the letters and words out through her constricted airways, fighting against the magic strapping down her respiratory system with all of her might.

Like any predator, he played with the prey. That was the right answer. At least now she could be of some use to him before he let her go. He willed the magic to stop flowing out from him and lowered his hand, releasing her from his grasp. He watched with amusement, disgust and a bit of hope for what she had to say as she struggled to catch her breath. It wasn't long before the seer began to give him what he had come here for. He watched impatiently as she spread out her blue eyed hands. In a whisper, almost with the voice of the spirits, she spoke.

 _"You will find him…."  
_ "How?!" Again, his impatience was showing. He waved his hands as if to urge her to go on. His heart though, was bursting through, the man that he once was crying out from inside the monster for his lost son. Feelings of hope and trepidation began to once again rise from within him. "And this time…" he warned "…don't leave out a single detail."  
 _"The path you take will not be an easy path…and will take many years. And it will require a curse…"_ her hands began to shake ever so feverishly. _"..that will rip everyone from this land…."  
_ "Yes, yes! There's more, I know it…tell me!" he demanded in an almost panicked…desperate…voice.  
 _"You will not cast the curse…someone else will…you will not break the curse…someone else w…will…"  
_ "Tell me!" He shouted impatiently, his eyes showing emotion for the first time in years.  
"I don't know…even my powers have limits." She was out of the trance now.  
But that wasn't good enough for him…not when he had lost so much. "I don't know." wouldn't get him back to his son.  
"Ah ah ah!" he said in a tone of similar tone of voice of mocking a naughty child as he waved his finger in her face. "Not good enough, dearie…" and then there came the stranglehold again.

"I…if you want…t..to see the path you must t..take…" she barely choked out through his hold on her. "t…there is one way….take this burden from me…." And he thought about it for a moment…only a split moment. What else had he to lose? Everything that mattered to him was gone. His son, his beautiful and innocent defenseless son waited for him. There was no question about what must be done. "Okay." But nothing could prepare him for the scene that he was about to witness when he grabbed the seer's hands and let the powers channel through them.

 _A starving, beaten, sorry looking animal was being tied up to a tree in the forest. Two of a queen's guards tied this defenseless workhorse up to a tree limb. The mare's limbs were bound in metal braces and bandages, and she could not hold herself up to stand still. A target was painted on her chest, between the mare's shoulder and ribs to guarantee a shot right to the heart and lungs. A brute of a man stood nearby, wearing the garb of a farmer. He held a bow and arrow notched in the correct position. It was pointed right at the target painted upon the animal. The whites of the animal's eyes could be seen. The sorry equine turned her gaunt head towards him and spoke to him in a pleading and begging young female voice as she tugged desperately at the ropes, flailing her head and useless limbs in an attempt to get free. "Papa! Help me! Don't let them do this to me, papa! How could you let this happen to me?! Help me!" A female dressed in black nearby grinned wickedly though seeming as if she was in a trance. "Fire."_

He could take no more. What the hell did he just see?! This was ridiculous! This was a scandal, this was a trick! She had seduced him and led him nowhere! He had never seen that horse in his life and he certainly wasn't going to have another child anytime soon after what had happened to his son. And why would a horse call him her father! It was all a jumble, and he didn't see how that could get him back to his boy!

"That's it! I've had enough! It's too much! It's all a jumble!" He snapped, his eyes wandering in confusion and wide at what he had just seen.  
"The future is like a puzzle, with many pieces to be solved. In time you will learn to separate what can be from what will be…" in a fit of exhaustion, having passed her powers, the seer finally collapsed upon the ground.  
"That's why you wanted to give this to me, to free yourself of this torment!" his anger was once again rising in his speech.  
Her chest rose and fall as her dying breaths approached.

 _"As gratitude, I offer you one piece of the puzzle. In your life….there will be a boy and a girl….the boy will become more powerful than you will ever know. He will become the ruler of this land, and you shall be the one to guide him. The girl will be your salvation and will save you from the fires of tartarus. She will save another who will lead you to your son. But this shall only pass when you carry that same love and compassion that she will show to you. You must prove yourself worthy by the falling: you must learn to love another and be loved in return, and later perform a single selfless deed out of the goodness of your heart. And when you have done that….she will save you and many others. Remember…the girl…will…not be what you seem….beware of this…"_ and with that, and a sharp breath, the seer passed, her life of torment finally ending.

In turn, he simply looked upon her with confusion. He nudged her with his foot. Nothing. He looked down upon her. Her chest was no longer rising or falling. He could hear no heartbeat, sense no pulse. A lot of help she was. Some gibberish about a boy and a girl…how was that going to possibly help him? Hanging his head in defeat and feeling more lost than ever before, and feeling further and further away from his son with every minute, he went back into the fog, muttering and swearing to himself. "Rubbish…utter rubbish…"

And with that he disappeared to pack up the last remaining things he had left of his shattered life in that cottage to take residence in an abandoned castle. As the years passed, as seasons came and gone, he languished in his castle and sank into despair. He lost all hope. He fell deeper into darkness and lost all but a part of his sanity. Every night the face of that terrified mare haunted him while he spun. What if she was right? If one of her predictions came true…wouldn't this also hold the same ground? But there was no hope left for him if she was correct, and his son was as good as gone from his life forever. For who could ever learn to love a beast?


	3. Chapter 3-One Night in the Stables

Chapter 3

One Night in the Stables

 _299 Years later…_

It was now April in the enchanted forest, in which the wood replenished itself from the harsh winter of the past year. It had seemed to go from a barren wasteland to a warm paradise. Dryads danced for joy in the trees of the more magical parts of the wood. Animals emerged for the first time since the winter descended upon the land. The entire habitat had a warm glow, for just as always it seemed that savagery had left beauty in its wake. A new wave of animal and human children had been born, and the cries of newborns echoed within castle walls, in the woods themselves, and in every cottage and farm and mountain. Yet the sun was not shining today. The spring brought violent rainstorms to the woods to fuel the new growth, one of which was currently battering the landscape. Curtains upon curtains of rain started to fall upon the once dead landscape, bringing with it the promise of a new life. There were sounds other than thunder threatening the danger of lightning in the distance and the rain pounding against every surface. The creaking of carriage wheels and the slopping of hooves into the muddy terrain soon whispered into the monsoon.

The carriage obviously belonged to someone quite wealthy. The trim of the red vessel was gilded with real and pure gold. The horse's harnesses and the interior of the carriage itself were made of fine leather. But there was something most peculiar about this carriage, for it was pulled by fine Friesian horses that were harnessed to the carriage, but with no driver. It was if they had known directly where to go. They needed no direction, for magic guided their way. As if in a trance, the horses made their way through the sloppy terrain, as if they were unafraid of the approaching storm. Absolutely bombproof, they The carriage belonged to none other than the dark one himself, Rumplestiltskin.

It had been centuries since the prophecy was first made. After he had taken residence in the castle Rumplestiltskin had turned to drink and to pleasures of the flesh to keep from feeling the pain. There was a different woman every night in his life, but one had stood out on particular. Regina, the Evil Queen and his student had become more of a friend with benefits. It wasn't long before she began to bear his children. One by one, other children were born to the dark one. At first, the queen bore a son, Thomas. Another brother followed, and his name was Cameron. Then, the queen gave birth to twins, Alteo and Althea. Althea, sadly, had been stolen from her cradle when she was a baby. Another child lost…it was more than he could bear. There was no time to drown his sorrows however, because Rumplestiltskin had to raise the children. Regina wanted no part in motherhood it seemed. So the imp raised the boys as a single father. Every day, he felt the pain of his lost children. Every day, he had to keep up the illusion of being the strong one. Inside, he was grieving and searching frantically for some answer as to how he could find his son and daughter. Along with raising four children(the queen bore her final child, Cameron as well), he was also frantically searching for any answers .

He loved each of them. His children gave a light back to his life that had been missing for years. However, at the end of the day he knew that there was something missing. The affairs between him and the queen had become more frigid and without feeling. She began to treat him as nothing more than a piece of meat. Every time after they made love, for instance, he wanted to lay beside her for human warmth and contact. Deep down he was a very lonely man. But she dismissed him every single time, treating him as nothing more than a servant who was in charge of raising their children and providing pleasures of the flesh for her. She seemed unfeeling of the fact that her daughter was missing. He could stand it no more. Around the time that the children began to mature into their early teenage years, he decided to end things with her. He could stay in that selfish relationship no longer.

Little did he know that he would find a cure for the gaping hole in his heart in one of his deals? A few months ago, he saw that the castle was starting to get dusty. He had his servants, of course, but it was a great castle and his staff of ten could not keep up with the growing demands of having teenage boys with magical powers in the estate. He needed another maid. He had made a deal with a certain young woman from a kingdom called Avalonea. A small kingdom at the southern end of Enchanted France, it could not protect itself from the onslaught of the ogre wars. He made a deal with the princess that if she would stay in his castle as his maid, than he would spare her kingdom. It wasn't long before he looked at her in a much different way than a master would look at his servant. His heart skipped a beat whenever he looked at her and he felt his cheeks grow warm. He looked away from her quickly, not able to gaze into her eyes for one moment. If eyes were truly the windows to one's soul, he would fall into them and never again return. They often engaged in deep conversation. Both of them equally intelligent, they both talked about subjects of literature, history, and art, something that he hadn't enjoyed for a long time. He found that he could talk to her for hours. In time she began to feel like more of a friend than just another servant.

This same beauty now sat next to him in the carriage. She was the very vision of beauty, with chestnut locks, bright blue startling eyes and soft skin that was as fine as porcelain. Her silhouette itself suggested symmetry and perfect beauty, as if someone had brought the statue of a goddess to life. She carried with her a satchel filled with books from his library, slung across a lovely blue and white maid's dress that Rumplestiltskin himself had embroidered with golden thread when she had last torn it. Out of being a gentleman, he offered her a day free from her duties if she should accompany him to the marketplace. What he really wished to do was to show her the countryside. Perhaps it was because he knew how those boys got when he left them alone in the castle and what they would unleash upon the servants, or perhaps it was because he was lonely and wanted companionship, and who better than to ask but a friend? There was another strange reason, perhaps more unbelievable than the latter…there was a small voice in his head that had told him to. The darkness spoke into his mind and encouraged him to take the lovely lady for a carriage ride. The ride had started out pleasant enough, but these storms came quickly and violently, spurred on by the magical climate of the forest. Rapid and violent climate change was actually quite common.

The thunder soon turned into lightning as it cracked across the sky. The beauty beside him, named Belle, jumped when the loud sound hit the atmosphere. Like the crack of a whip, it frightened her and made her draw closer to her employer. "I think we should head back. It's growing worse." She said in her lovely French accent, and there was a sweet sound in her voice that gave indication of her beauty also being held within her. Rumplestiltskin himself had to concede to her point. He began to notice something strange about this storm. The rain only seemed to be pouring down upon their carriage. No…that couldn't be…no one in his or her right mind would curse him like that. Besides, the whole forest was heading indoors, and even the animals were finding shelter. He nodded in agreement and commanded the horses to turn them around and go back home.

However, one danger of driving a carriage in such harsh conditions soon reared it's ugly head. One wheel, having been stuck in the thick mud and one not being able to turn over branches caused tension upon the axle. A deafening snap could be heard from the bottom of the carriage, and the vessel tipped on its side. Belle began to slide over to the other side of the carriage, and a shriek of surprise emitted from her lips. The impish male seated next to her proceeded to quickly wrap his arms around her in a protective matter. He couldn't help the blush that came creeping upon his cheeks, the scales on his cheeks being a bit more metallic than the rest of his body. She too blushed as she looked up at her employer. There was something unspoken which passed between them, that had been passing between them for the last few months. It so happened that every time they were close to each other they looked into each other's eyes as if they had known each other forever.

He said nothing, but tried to wave his hands in a grand gesture to teleport them back to the castle. Nothing came about. "What the hell…" he growled as he tried to teleport again. And nothing came of it the second time, or the third or fourth time. He was growing increasingly frustrated, to the point where his claws were digging into the leather paneling. However, when the beauty reached forward and placed her hand comfortingly on his shoulder he immediately relaxed. "It must be the weather. It might be some sort of an enchantment.." He commented, but he was still concerned. That had never happened before. There were several problems now: they were stranded in a mud pit, it was pouring outside of the carriage(which in itself was lopsided), and his magic was short circuiting. Outside, he could hear the pounding hooves and the whinnies of the increasingly worried horses. His amber eyes scanned the environment around the carriage. He finally realized what had been going on. They were actually within the limits of his castle grounds, and lo and behold the stable was just a short walk away. His castle grounds were sprawling and never ending, it seemed, and the large estate also included acres upon acres of a wildlife sanctuary.

There was only one choice for them now. "Belle, when I count to three, run to the stable…ready yourself, dearie…" she raised an eyebrow for a moment, for she saw no reason to follow his orders like some dog, but she saw soon that he had her best interests at heart. "Alright." She said with a nod, positioning herself in order to jump out of the carriage when necessary. "One…two….three!" he bolted out of the carriage and into the pouring rain, still managing to open Belle's door for her like a gentleman. He waved her off. "Run! Go to the stables! I'll be there soon!" As if in habit he waved his hand to unhitch the horses…and this time his magic did not fail him. How the hell could it not teleport him into the castle but still unhitch the Friesians? He grabbed the horses by their bridles and bolted into the stables with them.

When he finally came into the door, he was soaking wet. Belle too was drenched, her clothes and hair dripping all over the stone floor of the stable. After locking the horses into their stalls, he waved his hand once again, this time to place a fire in the grate. "Here…stand by the flames." He encouraged Belle, trying his best to keep her warm. She was starting to shiver. She smiled at him as he stood her in front of the fire, attempting to warm her by rubbing her shoulders. He didn't take into account that he was just as drenched as he was. Silence passed between them for a moment. All that could be heard was the crackling of the fire, the sounds of horses eating their hay and grain and their own breathing. His heart began to pound within his chest. He suddenly felt a sense of panic. The situation in which they had been placed had been awkward to say the least. He suddenly did not know what to do with himself. She too felt the same panic as she found herself pressed back against him. Her own heart started pounding within her.

"Thank you." She said in an awkward, almost whisper of a voice as their breathing gave silent whispers into the air. They could feel the heat rising off of one another and it was all too much to bear. He had been rubbing her shoulders, but his hands slowly moved down to her lower shoulders. Gulping and moving upon the instinct of the protective male, he wrapped his arms further around her, hugging her to his chest. His reasoning behind this was to keep her warm, due to the fact that his own leather clothing had been more waterproof than her own. His breathing was soft, yet quick, and her own was as smooth yet anxious. The silence became unbearable as she returned his affections, leaning into his embrace and leaning her back into his chest. She placed her nose and cheek against his. They glanced at each other once more, and even they could not stop what happened next.

It may have been a spark between them. It may have been the light of the fire. Neither one could admit what it actually was. They could no longer hold back. He pressed his nose against hers. She pressed her upper lip against his chin. Their heavy breathing filled the room with hot air, making the fire rise higher and higher. "We…we shouldn't…" she said with doubt. "We can't…" he said with a sigh and kept breathing more and more quickly. He stood there now upon the edge. She was his servant! It wouldn't be right…but he couldn't see her any other way. She too stood upon the edge of the void, staring at him on the other side. She knew that she shouldn't take the leap either. He was her employer, and good noble girls didn't…see their employers that way. The picture of propriety however was slowly starting to fade away. The masks that they wore as they played at the roles of master and servant , as beast and princess, as wizard and muggle were becoming more and more transparent, and now showing their true selves underneath. Soon, they both took the leap at the same time. He leaned down and began to press her lips against her cheek, and she turned around and did the same against his chin. At first, the kisses were light, but as they dove in deeper into the void, so did their lips.

They were facing one another now, their arms around each other. At first, their hands were on their backs. Slowly and surely, he took another dive and his hands slid down to her waist and then her hips. She didn't fight it, and her hands also went from his neck down to the small of his scaly back. It made him shudder in her hands, and she trembled within his. Their passion had driven speech out from them, and all they could utter were breaths and small moans into the steaming air of the stables. Slowly and surely, they began to move slightly away from the fire and inch towards a nearby pile of hay. Strips of wet clothing began to slide away from them, unmasking more and more of their true selves in every way. They were just lovers with no more to do than to fall into the void together, holding each other close as they plunged into the mysterious depths below. The fire now roared as they cast shadows upon the walls. As the light began to fade outside, then so did every barrier between them as they plunged into the hay. The fire roared like a ferocious and yet mysterious beast.

Later on that night, the clouds cleared and the moon shone in its full glory. Many reported seeing one of the strangest phantoms that they had seen in these magical woods. Perhaps it was the trick of the eyes, but some reported the shimmering and yet transparent image of a winged unicorn running towards the stable, growing smaller and smaller as it disappeared through the stone walls of the building. Some reported a mysterious glowing coming from the stables, for only a few seconds, and died down as the lovers slept in the hay.


	4. Chapter 4-The Light Fades

Chapter 4

The Light Fades

 _Belle found herself standing in a field of wildflowers. Great sprawling canyons and looming mountains could be seen in the distance. In the middle of the field stood a great tree, a tall oak tree that had become surrounded by the beautiful wild blooms. The trunk of the tree itself had been carved with flowing designs of peace and love. There were peaceful scenes of mothers cradling infants and other animals caring for their young. There were young couples holding hands, a teacher showing her students the wonders of the world, a little girl embracing a dog, a unicorn dipping it's horn into the water, a baby deer taking its first step, and a flock of birds singing merrily to an old woman. The tree itself was full of life, birds chirped within it and squirrels scurried around its branches. In the surrounding valley wild and domesticated animals lay and frolic together in harmony. All sorts of creatures, from the deer of the woods of the Enchanted Forest to the lions of the Pridelands, from the winged monkeys of Oz to the bread and butterflies of Wonderland seemed to mill about the land as if it was a giant garden of peace. Tigers, bison, wolves, sheep, tiny field mice and great elephants, snakes and dragons and goats…every creature known scurried about the vast mountainous expanse and the valleys below. Predators lovingly groomed prey, and the prey looked after the young of the predators as if they were their very own. Above this peaceful land, a rainbow spread, brighter and more colorful than any rainbow that she had ever seen. The rocks of the ground itself contained jewels which glinted in the soft sunlight. Rubies, diamonds, sapphires, emeralds and semi precious stones such as agate, turquoise and quartz naturally occurred within the rock. Out from the atmosphere there came a wind, carrying with it a voice whispering into it. It was the voice of a young female with a high pitched Scottish accent. The voice had no body, but rather carried all around her in the wind. "I'm on my way, mother."_

She awoke with a start once she opened her eyes. Once again she found herself in the bedchamber that Rumplestiltskin had given her. There were no traces of the field where she had stood. Once again she was surrounded by the stone walls of the cell which he had given her. Normally, she wouldn't have woken up like this. Normally she would have been in the grand bedroom which he had bestowed upon her a whopping day into her service. Even then he had shown affection for her. However, things had changed. Ever since they had made love in that stable, things had felt strange between them. It had only been two days since the stable incident and they hadn't been able to look each other in the eye since. It was almost as if there had been an unspoken issue that weighed upon them, but what could it be? She did love him and as far as she had known he felt the same way. She thought that they might eventually get through the awkwardness and have a real relationship. Little did she know that she would be reminded just how much they needed to work out. She had run into The Queen on the way back from town. She seemed to know exactly what the problem was: his darkness. Belle knew that something evil had taken root in him. The queen informed her that true love was the only thing that could possibly cure him.

And she did try to cure him. By kissing him on the lips, not out of passion but out of pure love. As soon as she did that, however…she realized her mistake. If she wanted to love someone, she had to love them for who they were, even with their demons. However, she never dreamed that he would react so rash in return. She had no idea of how deep his emotional wounds really were, and she had pinched a nerve. What followed next was a rampage. He could no longer stand the sight of her and in his overreaction had forced her back into the cell. She would never forget the look on his face as he turned away from her. Mostly it was anger. But there were traces of fear and heartbreak in his eyes as well. She knew that she had made a mistake, but at the same time it shouldn't have mattered. Didn't he know by now that she was on his side and that she was just trying to break him free of this curse? She saw what it did to him. She never told him of course but she could hear him crying in his sleep the few times that he did manage to fall asleep by his spinning wheel. That beastly persona was a lie to her. Underneath it was a man who was desperately trying to cower behind the mask of a monster. She never dreamed that he could react in such an explosive manner. And why did she make this mistake? Because she loved him…she wanted what was best for him…and he was just too blinded by his own misery to see it.

If their argument wasn't unsettling enough, that dream also put her on edge. It was the most beautiful thing that she had ever seen. In other circumstances it would have been a welcome pleasant vision after an upsetting argument, but the last seconds of the dream had frightened her. Mother? Yes, she had vaguely wished that her relationship with Rumplestiltskin would develop further and she could be a mother to the boys, but…she was not a mother. In fact, that night in the barn was her first time with a man. She had borne no children of her own and hadn't thought of even having children yet. Underneath the surface of her mind, there was a lingering thought…what if…no..it couldn't be. It was only once. She simply shrugged it off and kept her mind on the present. What was she to do now? Would their relationship be the same? Too much was said between them the previous night. Deep down, she knew that their time together was over and the sun was setting upon their love. Of course she still loved him, but would he say the same?

As she brushed the chestnut hair out of her face and began to peer outside of the cell bars to the sun rising in the distance, she was answered by the click of the lock on the door. She sat down against the prison wall as her eyes met the amber ones of the dark one. The look of passion and interest with which they had regarded one another had faded. The sunlight gave a glow to both of their eyes, but the light behind it had gone out. She stood up to greet him, and they both scowled as they stared at each other. Their chest rose and fell as either one tried to search for some way or another to salvage the relationship that they had built. But one simple word uttered from the lips of the imp had dashed those hopes forever. "Go." He said simply, pointing his clawed fingertip towards the door with a frown. Her retort was just as simple, her eyes filled with fear for the inevitable. "Go?" she answered, her tone rising with anger building up within it. It was a last chance for him to change his mind, her asking the question of whether or not he wanted to go forward with his rubbish. "I don't want you anymore dearie." He said with a simple shrug, as if that didn't matter to him at all.

She thought that she could take no more. She turned around, intent on not even looking back as she began to hold her head high and walk out of his life. However…she had just one more thing to say. With the courage rising up within the beauty's breast, she frowned and approached him once again. With a growl in her voice she stood right up to him, her blue eyes looking intensely into his. "You were freeing yourself!" she exclaimed as she pointed her finger, unafraid, right in his face. He stood there like a stone, unsure of what to say or do and caught off guard by someone actually having the gall to stand up to him. "You could have had happiness if you just believed that someone could want you!" she glared at him, all the anger she felt over his distrust in her boiling to the surface. He said he wanted love, he said he wanted to be happy. And here he was, too afraid to take the leap…to afraid to believe in something and too afraid to take a chance in love. He was throwing her away, all because he was too much of a coward to see it. That's what he was….a coward. Up until now, she had been too gentle…too nice…to say it. But she no longer feared holding back. She would not leave this castle without saying what she really felt. "You're a coward, Rumplestiltskin…" she snarled, giving him a steely blue eyed glare. "…and no matter how thick you make your skin, that doesn't change."

He stood there for a moment, dumbfounded, trying to think of what to say in retaliation. He squirmed like a defenseless maggot as he tried to find a way to break her spell. Nothing was holding him to that spot but his own self-pity. He tried to think of a bad thing to say about her, but he couldn't find one thing she had done wrong, no matter how deep he began to dig. "I'm not a coward dearie." was his brilliant response, and once again he put on the mask of the beast, smirking back at her as a self defense mechanism rather than show his true self. "It's quite simple really. My power means more to me…than you do." In that instant, she could hear nothing outside of her body, but she could swear that she could hear the shattering of her own heart. But she kept her affirmation, because she would not let herself be sucked in by his lies. And they were lies, for as much as he could drag his feet and deny it, she knew it. She was the first to see beyond the mask that he had put on, and she could see the squirming little man underneath the exterior of the fearsome dark one.

"No…" she growled, getting right up in his face and pointing at him again. "No it doesn't."  
"That's a lie…" He snarled back, even though he had a hard time even convincing himself at this point.  
She shook her head in defiance. "You just don't think I can love you."  
And of course she had finally said what the problem was, and the silence began to linger once again. He pointed his eyes at the wall. He tried to look anywhere else in order not to look at her.

That only affirmed what she knew in her heart…he would never trust her. He would never put aside his power and his life of intrigue to settle down with her. He wasn't going to allow them to be together. She allowed him a second, third, and fourth chance as the minutes passed between them to actually admit that she was right about him. But he was unyielding. She scowled at him once again, but the tears were starting to come through. Say something… her mind secretly begged him. Say anything. But as the minutes passed, she knew that she could not be with the man she loved…and that tore her very soul into shreds. The tears began to well within her blue eyes and the French Princess shook her head in disgust. "Well…you've made your choice." She began quietly at first, but then her voice began to break. "And you're going to regret it…forever. And all you'll have…" she was starting to cry now as she could hold her tears back no longer. "…is an empty heart…" and at this she poked him right in the chest. "And a chipped cup." And with that, she could take his presence no longer. She stormed out of the cell as the sobs began to issue from her.

After he left, he stood there in the darkness. The brief flicker of light amidst his ocean of darkness was gone. She was never coming back. Once again, he was plunged into darkness. He watched her ride away from the castle from the cell window. He closed his eyes as the silence and darkness enveloped him and enclosed upon him. The cell door was open, but only in the physical world before him. He knew that even when he left this cell, he would be forever trapped in a prison of his own making. Night would last forever. But he had known it all along…the light was not for creatures like him. He closed his eyes. All he could hear now were the screams of his terrified son as the night terrors enveloped him once again. As he moved away from the cell to wake Alteo from his nightmares and move him into the day, he knew that he would have to tell another son just how he had lost his mother. With every footstep, he could feel his heart shattering. The light that she had brought to the castle was fading. The rainbow that had been born over the castle during the last few days now disappeared, and storm clouds began to gather around the fortress. He plunged once again into loneliness and darkness, with the knowledge that no one could ever love a beast.


	5. Chapter 5-One Heartbeat

Chapter 5

One Heartbeat

Belle had been staying in a tavern since she had helped Mulan defeat that fearsome beast…which happened to be a prince. It was funny how the universe worked. Not long ago, she was seeing a beast of her own. She thought that he was a prince…and she was wrong. Now she was staying in this tavern as she tried to think of a way to turn her life around. She had tried her family, but Maurice had turned her away. Now that he knew that she had been in love with the dark one, she was tainted…she was just as wicked as him. He even threatened to send her to a monastery to be cleansed of his evil. Her family no longer wanted her and she only had a few friends in the tavern. She stayed in the tavern for exchange for reading to the patrons to provide entertainment but other than that she didn't know what she was going to do. She no longer felt a need to get out of bed early in the morning, but this morning it was very different. She had been sleeping when she felt it…the worst stomach flip of her life. Belle had only remembered getting sick to her stomach once during her childhood, and it was definitely not something she was used to. A sick feeling crawled within her stomach as she opened her eyes and sat up in bed alert. She tried to fight the strange sickness as her vision began to become distorted and blurred. She could take it no longer. She bolted out of her bed and took out her chamber pot, and with no time to spare. She got down on her hands and knees and emptied her stomach into the chamber pot.

It passed like a fleeting shadow. The sick feeling had gone away, which left Belle with confusion. What could have caused the sudden and brief ailment? The most confusing part of this was that she had gone through this for the past five days. She had felt other strange sensations as well. There was a fluttering feeling in her stomach. She had become extremely emotional. One minute she could be her usual sweet and gentle self and in the next minute she could have the fierce tendencies of the banshee. Her temperature fluctuated. She was hot one minute and cold the next. Strangely enough, she could have dealt with all of this if it weren't for the vivid and strange dreams. All she saw in those dreams were horses. There was nothing else in these dreams but the vivid image of wild Spanish mustangs running through the plains. Another vivid sequence showed a girl warrior, a Valkyrie, facing off against a man with blue fire for hair. She had read about them in the past few weeks, true, but she had never seen one. Why in the world would she be dreaming about wild horses now? Something strange was surely going on, and Belle could no longer deny it. She had to find out what in the world was going on with her. Luckily she had a friend who could help her, a doctor and a friend of a friend.

After she had washed up and rinsed her mouth out, she went downstairs. It was like the sickness had never happened and she bore no dizziness. As she made her way down the stairs of the rooms into the main tavern, she spotted one of the friends that she had made on their travels. He was a short and stout little man, a dwarf. Even though he looked intimidating with his beard and hard brow, a smile was spreading across his face. He had been called Dreamy for a reason. Unlike other dwarves, Dreamy gave a thought to what life would be if he didn't work in the mines, if he had gone with someone he loved instead. Dreamy had befriended Belle a fortnight ago before she had defeated or rather…saved…the Yaoguai. She was the one who had convinced him that he could love despite everyone saying that he could not. She was the one who had pushed him to meet her to see the fireflies. Needless to say, he smiled at Belle as she came down into the threshold of the tavern. And he had good news to tell her. Thanks to the beauty's advice, he and "Hey Belle!" he said enthusiastically, grinning from ear to ear. Bless the poor man's soul, he didn't realize he had a bit of egg still in his beard.

Belle had recovered from her morning sickness so she giggled and wiped his face. "You missed a spot." Dreamy couldn't wait any longer, and began to relate his news. "Your advice worked! Nova and I hit it off, and we're going to run away together!" but as he related his happy news, Belle felt the unexplained wave of fatigue that had come over her and quickly took a seat on the bar stool. She felt faint all the sudden, but thankfully this time didn't turn sick to her stomach. She wiped the bit of cold sweat that had forming on her forehead. "Oh Dreamy…that's wonderful.." Of course, her friend became immediately concerned. "Belle?" he said with a concerned frown. "Are you okay?" She wasn't one to tell someone when she wasn't feeling good. Belle was a soldier deep down and didn't want to impose herself upon the world with her concerns. However, Mulan had left with the prince to find Aurora and she had no one else to talk to at the present time. "It's nothing, really." However, Dreamy knew that she was lying, for being rough around the edges he was more receptive to emotions than most dwarfs. "What's wrong?" he asked once again, and it was at this point that she knew she couldn't hide it anymore. "I've been having some health issues." She said with a concerned look on her face and Dreamy looked just as concerned for his friend. "We should have Doc take a look at you. I mean...it's worth a try.

That night, after the work in the mines was done for the day the beauty took a seat in the otherwise empty tavern hall. The crickets were chirping outside and a strange rainbow seemed to be hanging high in the misty air in a nearby waterfall. This moonbow was only one of the rainbows that seemed to be following the princess everywhere since the day that she left the castle. Belle sat before Doc in the soft light of the oil lamps, a bearded squirrely looking dwarf with spectacles and a kind smile. She began to explain her symptoms to him as Dreamy stood by her, concerned for his friend's well-being. "I've been getting sick in the morning, having strange dreams and to be honest..I have been gaining a bit of weight…" Doc was the only one in the room of the tavern who did not look concerned. Instead…he looked like he knew a secret, one that was joyful that the rest of them could not see. The dwarf's eyes twinkled as he took a stethoscope and put it upon her flat stomach, putting the buds in his ears. Belle sat there, completely dumbfounded as to what he was doing. At first, Doc heard nothing. Then…a faint beating sound could be barely heard, a rhythmic heartbeat coming from within her womb. He drew back and gave her a soft smile. Belle gulped, unsure of what was transpiring within her and fearful that something was seriously wrong with her. "What's wrong? Wha..what did you find?" she furrowed her eyebrows in confusion, and in the quiet of the tavern, the sound of silence surrounded her and threatened to drown her until the words came out. "Nothing's wrong! Not at all! In fact…I have good news! You're pregnant Belle…I mean…you're going to have a baby."

A dumbfounded look came over her face as she sat there, motionless, permanently gasping as she placed a hand on her flat stomach. It all made sense to her now, but somehow no sense at all. She didn't…she couldn't…it was only one night! Her breathing began to quicken as the panic set in, because she knew exactly who the father was. There was a probability now that she would never see him again. In a matter of five seconds, she had gone from the young princess turned adventuress to a desperate woman who was with child and with nowhere to turn. Her eyes were as wide as dinner plates as she stared at the wall of the tavern. The dwarf didn't understand this reaction and tilted his head. "Isn't that uh…good news?" Belle paused for a moment but then blinked and promptly stood up. She began to pace the floor for a few moments, feeling the child already fluttering within her still somewhat flat stomach. Her mind began to travel to far off hopes, thoughts and places that she was searching for a desperate answer. She knew that she could not raise the child in the woods. Even though Belle was a survivor she had never survived on her own before. She wanted to be brave, she wanted to prove to this male orientated world that she could make it, but she had to think of what was best for the child. She could not go back to her father, she had already tried that and he promptly turned her away with disgust. He could not live with the shame of his daughter being in a relationship with a monster. There was only one place where she could go to get help.

"I have to go…" she said in a panicked voice as she quickly kissed Dreamy's cheeks. "Thank you for everything. Thank you doctor…I just…" Dreamy nodded in understanding. "Good luck, Belle." He said with a soft smile at the edges of his tousled beard as he hugged his friend. "Thank you for everything…Are you sure..you don't want one of us to go with you?" She shook her head and gave a sigh as she rubbed her stomach. This was nothing that anyone could help her out of, she had to do this herself. She wanted to say that this was for her child, that her baby should have a proper father, a proper home and a proper family. But in her heart, she knew the true meaning of her sudden determination to march back to that castle. It was a feeling that had resided in her heart ever since she had walked out of the mountains. It was love…love that was undying, love that could not be vanquished no matter what they had argued about. She loved him more than anyone, and she found herself loving him even more now that she was carrying his child. "No. I have to do this alone." And with that, she waved one last time to her helpers before she went back onto the trail with a bag slung over her back.

The sun began to set and the shadows began to fall across the land. The sounds of the wild beasts that roamed in the night began to fill the air. She kept that one hand still protectively over her tiny miracle, her soft hand held over the growing infant. Her eyes were filled with determination as she charged down the path. His castle was just beyond the mountain pass. Her heart had never been more set upon a goal, and she mercilessly trudged down the path like a soldier. Her eyes wandered to the peak of the castle showing in the distance. If he didn't want to see her, she would show herself anyway. She knew exactly how he felt. She knew that the front that he had put on was completely untrue. His magic may have been powerful, but he could not hide his true feeling towards her. She felt the courage suddenly rising in her breast, not only for her determination to get back to her true love but also out of protective maternal instinct. "I'm coming back Rumple." She said out loud to no one in particular. She was not about to give up on him just because he was cowardly. She knew the love that existed between them, manifested in the miracle that was growing inside of her body.

She stopped not to rest but soon had an eerie feeling about the woods that surrounded her. She had been down this path before hundreds of times when she had set out to gather straw from the surrounding villages. But something was deeply wrong about it this time. She had the feeling of eyes being upon her. She felt as if she was entering a sacred place where she should not have wandered. She could almost smell the tension surrounding her. She didn't even hear the wolves or crickets or the other creatures that existed in between the animal divide. At first the area was silent, and she shook her head. "It's all in my head. It's probably my condition." Of course Belle had never been pregnant so she didn't know what to expect. The feeling of dread was not going away of course and stayed with her as she made her way through the woods. The silence soon faded though, into the sound of neighing horses. It was quiet at first, but soon drew closer. Panic and dread began to fill her soul as she saw the light from torches in the distance. Her eyes widened in terror at the sight that she saw next. There were her travel companions whom she had tricked earlier, looking at her with their menacing, sarcastic grins glowing in the torchlight like lantern jacks. Their horses were hauling the sickening sight of a human-sized cage. Their leader was the last person she had expected to see, the same woman who had been so friendly to her on the road. As she looked into the dark eyes of the Evil Queen, Belle suddenly had the sickening realization of why Rumple considered her dangerous. It all came clear…he was trying to protect her.

Hers was also a smug, satisfied grin. "It seems you should be nicer to your traveling companions…that beast is beyond saving." she said with a snicker as the ugly brutes followed in an echo. Belle was now in their trap, a prey animal that was surrounded by a pack of hunters. Her eyes filled with tears that spilled over her cheeks. "Why…why are you doing this?!" she asked in terror, slowly backing up from her as if trying to run away. In her mind though she knew it wouldn't help. She was a muggle. She had no chance of escaping her magic. Regina threw back her head and laughed. "Next time, steal someone else's beau." She snapped her fingers and the paid men grabbed the expectant mother roughly by the soldiers, seizing the beauty as she screamed and squealed. Belle, in terror that they would hurt the baby, tried her best to fight her way out of their grasp but they only tightened their grips upon her. She screamed bloody murder as they grabbed her and slung her inside of the cage. "NO! PLEASE DON'T! YOU CAN'T KEEP US APART FOREVER!" she screamed as she pounded her fists relentlessly on the bars and the wood boards of the carriage. "I WON'T STOP FIGHTING FOR HIM, I'LL NEVER STOP FIGHTING FOR HIM!" she shouted out of the cage. Regina screwed up her face in disgust and snarled in her face in return. "Shut up." She threw a red looking powder in Belle's face and Belle instantly felt drowsy. She grew weaker and weaker as she tried to fight more and more. She slumped against the bar and began to sink down to the floor. Her world went black.


	6. Chapter 6-Horse Being Born

Chapter 6

Horse Being Born

Nimue once again stood among the rest of the dark ones. Instead of the usual sighs and moans of misery among them, there was a tension in the air that was never there before. There was a twinkle of hope in each of their dark eyes, and they looked to their leader with anticipation. Nimue seemed a bit more on edge. There was bad news that she needed to share with the rest of them. The air was thick with tension so that the very atmosphere around the dark chamber would choke the living. Before anyone of them could speak up, the spirit of the former dark one spoke first. "Our suspicions were correct. The light one has been conceived and is eight months in term." At this, the tension seemed to be stronger on the side of joy. The spirits smiled for the first time in years. However, Nimue was not smiling. She had a look of fear instead, and almost a look of pity tugged at her features. "However, there is a problem. Something has gone wrong with the health of the child." At this, fear began to make it's way around the room. Was this their fate? To finally have the light one just within their reach, to have freedom just about in their grasp only to find out that they might lose her before she even knew what her lot in life was? Nimue continued in a somber voice. "It is just as I have feared. A mortal woman cannot carry a magical creature without complications. Belle is mortal and therefore her body keeps trying to reject the child. She has nearly miscarried our unborn savior three times. Not only that, but I have seen something inside of the light one that will be a handicap. If this child is carried to full term, there is a strong possibility that the child and her mother will not survive. It cannot be debated. The child must be born tonight."

Belle lay against the stone wall of her cell, her blue eyes staring into the darkness. Just as every night before, she tried to tune out the sounds of the dungeons. The sound of prisoners moaning and wailing could be heard echoing against the stone walls as if they were already ghosts crying out for mercy. She lay on the thin bed, her hand resting on her swollen pregnant stomach. She wore a tired, weak, and drained expression on her face. A few tears escaped her eyelids as she placed her hand where her child rested within her. This was the world that the child would be born into. Fear began to creep into and grip Belle's heart. She had successfully hidden her pregnancy from Regina up until this point, for the woman rarely came to see her prisoners and usually just forgot about them until they wasted away to nothing. Eventually, this child was going to be born. How could she hide her child then? What would Regina do to it? Unable to pace because of her weakened condition and her pregnancy making it difficult to arise from the bed, she simply shifted upon the bed. Even if she could somehow give birth in secret, how would she be able to hide the child's crying? She had but one more month to come up with a solution. She tried not to shed tears, for crying wouldn't do them any good. She concentrated on every possibility that she could think of to protect her young one…even if it meant making a deal with Regina to spare the child's life and take hers instead.

As she went over this possibility, Belle felt something within her. A jolt of pain in her lower stomach hit her. Belle's eyes went wide in panic and she placed her hands protectively on her stomach. "No little one…no…you're almost there." Her voice was cracking, for after so many scares of nearly losing this child she didn't know what was going to happen. She had never wished for Rumple so much since the day that she had met him. If he were here he could heal whatever was wrong with their child. And out of a mother's intuition she just knew that something wasn't right. The pain faded for five minutes, and then it came again. Belle felt dizzy from the agony as she clamped her hand on her stomach, crying out from how badly it hurt. Her confusion and fear only grew. Her breathing quickened. Out of nowhere she felt a pull on her stomach. She screamed in terror as a rush of liquid came out of her and onto the bed and the stone floor. There was no denying it; the baby was coming…now. She prayed in fear to the gods that her child would come painlessly as possible or at least muffle the screaming so that they would never know. However, that would soon prove impossible as another contraction hit her like a wave of pure agony. They were closer and closer together now and this baby was coming fast. She felt dizzy and began to cry out of fear and frustration. Unfortunately, some of the other prisoners and the guards also heard her cries and called out for help. "No!" Belle protested, her voice choked by tears and her agony as she clamped her hands around her lower waist shaking in agony as the contractions kept coming.

A midwife and her assistants soon came in, and Belle drew away from them and snarled at them like a wild animal protecting her young. "No! G..go back from where you came…" The assistants started spreading straw down on the floor and Belle started to uncontrollably sob. "Don't worry duckie, we're here to help you…" the midwife tried to soothe her by putting her hand on her back. "B..but you don't understand…she's going to…she's gonna…" Belle hysterically stammered, trying to find the words to tell her. The midwife shook her head. "You'll be alright." The contractions were closer now and more forceful. The assistants grabbed Belle and urged her to lay down on the straw. In a flash of pure motherly instinct she lay down and screamed like a banshee as the pain came once again. She continued to sob the entire time. "It's too early..." Belle's tears flowed down her cheeks like a waterfall. If only Rumple were here…oh if her lover were only at her side to hold her! Ah no…she was alone. There was no one to comfort her, no one to offer her any sort of solace. Belle often dreamed of having her own child someday, but now…it only seemed like a nightmare. The midwife spread Belle's legs apart. Perhaps out of mercy, one of the assistants gave Belle a rubber bit to bite down on when the pain was at it's worse. "Push!" they commanded her.

The sequence of pushing came with every contraction, and emotions stirred inside of the beauty like a cocktail. And for the first time, she felt undeniable and irrational hatred towards the man who caused her to have this fate. Unable to keep any sort of composure, she screamed in terror, agony, and anger. "I HATE YOU RUMPLESTILTSKIN! YOU COWARD! YOU PIG HEADED ASS! IF YOU WEREN'T SUCH A COWARD YOU'D BE HERE WITH ME….BUT NOOOOOOO! YOU HAD TO HAVE POWER INSTEAD! YOU BASTARD!" she screamed bloody murder as she kept pushing. After an hour of stage three labor she started to become exhausted. All she wanted to do was sleep, but the pain kept hitting and getting more and more intense. She was close, but she felt as if she could not go on. "I can't…." she wailed in a weak and tired voice but the midwife was not having it. "Yes you can…just one more big push." She coached her. Belle was laboring in her breathing as her entire body began to bear down. The agony was nearly too much to bear, and she let out a loud and heartbreaking, bloodcurdling scream inside of the dungeon walls and up to the castle above. She put whatever strength that she had left into the most painful of the contractions that she was experiencing. Belle gritted her teeth as she bore down upon her already exhausted body with all of her might.

At first, she heard nothing but her own shallow, rapid breathing. She could feel nothing but the sweat that was beading on her brow. But then…it came. The most beautiful sound that any mother could ever hear filled the room. Even in her exhaustion she could hear the angelic sound of a tiny infant. A weak cry it was, one that was showing every indication that the baby was frail in nature, but it was a cry of life. Her child just survived one of the most deadly experiences for infants in the time period: premature birth. Belle knew the implications of what had just happened, but at the moment, she didn't care. All she could hear was the sound of her beautiful child wailing in a weak and strangled voice, and it meant that she had survived. Her heart swelled at the sound of her young and the beauty's eyes stung with joyful and maternal tears. "It's a girl!" the midwife announced to the mother as she handed her off to get cleaned up. Her blurred vision focused on the midwife's assistants who were cleaning the child off with a towel and cutting the umbilical cord. She could see nothing else but the scrunched up face of the tiny little life that she had made. "There you go ducky…a bit on the thin and small side but what a beauty! Skin's a bit dry for a newborn though." The midwife was mostly talking to try to assuage the mother's fears even though her concern was with the baby. She was so small and thin that she doubted if she was going to survive the coming harsh winter, especially in a prison cell. She didn't have the heart to tell that to Belle, who lay there in an exhausted heap.

As the midwife went to hand the child over to her mother, another more formidable sound rang in the dungeons. A door from the upstairs corridor slammed and in came the panther herself. The evil queen stalked right up to Belle's cell block and the prisoners, knowing just what had taken place writhed their shriveled and starving bodies to try to stop her from getting to the baby. Regina's personal servant and huntsman dragged his feet as he walked by her side. His breathing was frantic and he was violently shaking his head. "Your majesty…please…she's just a child…not even an hour old…" Regina looked back at him with disgust. "Keep in mind huntsman that if you protest one more time all I have to do is squeeze…now be a good boy and heel." Graham lowered his head as the tears gathered in his eyes. Just as the midwife was about to hand over the newborn daughter Regina slammed the door open. Her eyes were steely as she gazed upon Belle in all her vulnerability. With a lofty sniff and upturning of the nose she grabbed the child from the midwife, waving her hand and sending the middle age woman flying into the back wall of the cell. Belle's eyes went wide with horror as she tried to gather all of her strength to go after her, but the queen saw it coming. She conjured the metal shackles at the back of the cell and strapped her to the ground. Belle squirmed and screamed and cried but she couldn't get free. The beauty desperately wailed as she struggled to get free. It meant nothing, for Regina was already out of the room with the child. "You won't get away with this! RUMPLE WILL KNOW THE TRUTH! HE'LL SEE RIGHT THROUGH YOUR LIES! OUR DAUGHTER WILL FIND HIM! SHE WILL FIND…" and with that exhaustion took her, and Belle fell unconscious once again, whispering "I love you.." to her daughter as she fainted from exhaustion.

The queen walked with the child right into another stone chamber and placed her on an altar like table in the middle of the vault. Boxes of hearts taken from their living subjects gave off a glow that lined the room with red blinking light. She circled the child as if she was prey. "You know why I'm doing this, don't you little one? You see…your father stole my life from me. He made me this way…made me into a monster. And then he chose your mother instead. Well…he took away my hope, so I'm going to take away his." From her black lace cloak, the witch took a blackthorn wand and pointed it right at the squirming and crying bundle of blankets. "Avara Kedavera." She exclaimed in a nonchalant voice. A green flash of light filled the room, vanishing as quickly as it came. With a triumphant and wicked laugh the black haired monarch left the room victorious. A satisfied smile tugged at her mouth as she pranced out of the room. When she left the room, Graham entered, expecting to find a dead child. Tears streamed down his cheeks. He began to quietly sob as he picked up the bundle in his arms and rocked the beast's daughter back and forth within them. "I'm sorry little one…" but he soon ate his words, because he saw something that he wasn't expecting to see within those blankets….movement.


End file.
